Happy? Yes
by btsm
Summary: The story takes places after Risky Business and spans till today, whatever that is. It is mostly a Happy and Toby story. The characters belong to the TV show Scorpion and I want to stay as true as possible to the way they were created. Please let me know how true you think I was to the show. I would love to improve.
1. Chapter 1

Toby put down his guitar. He had been waiting for two hours and felt his stress levels increasing…he really wanted to go out to the Poker game that he knew was happening 20 minutes away. However his desire to stay and find out about Happy's date with Peyton was stronger than his itch to gamble so he stayed in the garage. He had played solitaire for an hour before it got to tedious and then picked up his guitar. He rarely played nowadays but the combination of the case and Happy's apparent attraction to musical men made him pick it up tonight. Before joining Scorpion he had often played music as a red herring during high stake games. However after 2 years of only strumming sporadically, he was rusty. After trying to brush up on his _Stairway to Heaven _for an hour his fingers were exhausted. He felt a little emotionally frayed from waiting and picked up Carl Roger's _Encounter Groups_. Carl Rogers always relaxed him.

At about 15 seconds past 10:15pm Toby heard the garage door open. He looked up to see Happy heading towards the fridge. She grabbed a beer and was headed towards the sofas where he was sitting. In seeing him lying on the sofa she plunked herself down on the love seat adjacent to him and started sipping her beer. Her body language seemed pretty hostile but she was sitting within conversational distance so Toby decided she was probably undecided if she wanted to talk or not. Toby took advantage of her indecision and asked,"so how was your date? Wanna talk about it" Toby asked.

Happy looked up from her beer. "It depends if you are going to be a wise-ass or not" she said.

"How bout if I be your friend? I will not make wise cracks. However can I reserve the right to make humorous remarks to diffuse a tense situation? Toby said as he sat up to the side of the in the sofa closer to Happy.

" You're impossible" Happy said shaking her head.

"I promise, no wisecracks. I am your friend and the best friend you have to talk about possibly emotionally awkward situations. Please, try me, tell me how was the date?" Toby said gently as he leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees.

"Well… the date wasn't good or bad…it was stressful." Happy replied.

"How so, why do you feel that way?" Toby probed. Happy noticed Toby going all on doc on her and mentally grinned.

"It started off all right. We talked about the case and the music industry all the way to the race. And then it just went weird. He kept asking me questions about my background and how I joined Scorpion and you know how I feel uncomfortable about that. I gave non committal monosyllabic answers. He understandably got tired of asking me questions about me and asked me questions about the race and what I knew about it. That was ok but I felt like he didn't get a lot of the stuff I was saying and didn't really share my passion for machines. When we ran out of topics about the race he started just talking about himself. I probably wasn't very good company most of the time so I don't blame him. I know I should have tried more but I just couldn't. Is there something wrong with me Doc?"

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with you Happy." Toby quickly assured her.

"In my head I knew I could and should be able to tell him about me but I couldn't/didn't" Happy stated.

"We all know you have intimacy issues…" Toby looked up at her and said, " you _do _know you have intimacy issues right, your emotional armor against the world. There are people out there from more emotionally secure backgrounds that have problems sharing on a first date. There is nothing wrong with a little mystery on a first date, some argue that not revealing too quickly is good. "He paused to ensure she has processed what he said before continuing." There looks like there are two issues here; one as mentioned is your intimacy issues and sharing is a vulnerable activity. The other potential reason on why it was a stressful experience could be because the two of you just don't have good chemistry. Trying to forge relationship connections with no natural affinity towards each other can be stressful. Especially for someone like you that is more introverted. Right now both issues are probably intertwined together. Or at least that's the conclusion I'm making based on my psychiatry experience and knowledge of you. What do you think? How do you feel Happy?

"I agree. I know I have problems sharing, it makes you vulnerable and I don't like being vulnerable. I..don't know about the chemistry part. I don't even know if I know what it's like to have chemistry with someone." Happy answered.

"Oh Happy you sell yourself short. Don't know about chemistry? You and me talking right now or like every time before even when we bicker, that's chemistry. The intellectual chemistry you have with Walt and Sly, it's off the charts. I know you are scared that this one date that went slightly off when it should have logically gone perfectly is making you afraid that beyond our little group you will never be able to have any more meaningful connections. But you will, with the right person and right conditions" Toby countered.

Happy would never tell Toby did but his uncanny ability to read the human mind always amazed and impressed. She hadn't yet realized the full extent of her fear till he articulated it. Whenever Toby was just being him with no layer of wise-ass, she had the best time with him. They sat in silence for a few minutes with her lost in thought. "I guess we're never going to find out if Peyton was a right person in the wrong conditions because he's probably not going to call again" Happy thought out loud.

"Do you want him to call again?" Toby asked hoping she'd say no.

"I don't know. There is a part of me that remembers how it was stressful and unpleasant and doesn't want to go through a similar experience again. But then there is a part of me that wants him to call just to have the chance to see what it would be like if I did share more." Happy replied.

"From a guy's perspective that may not have been a terrible date, you did tell me you let him talk most of it…we men love our adoring public" Toby drawled. Happy raised her eyebrows and snorted," Men."

"Hey, I was telling you an egoistic trait that works in your favor in this particular instance. But male ego aside; Happy, if I were him, there is nothing in the world that would prevent me from wanting to see you again. You are the most incredible women I have ever met. Not only are you smart, capable, fun and strong _and_ gorgeous, but you have the tenderest heart. You are the whole package. He would be a fool to not call you again." Toby said gently.

"I..d..Thank you Toby." Happy stammered. Happy was touched by Toby's words. No one had ever talked about her as a three dimensional person before.

"I mean every word. You are truly amazing." Toby reassured. "Do you want to follow me to get a burger? We could go to McDonald's and get you a Happy Meal?" Toby said through a smile as he made the letter M logo with his two index fingers tracing adjoining semi circles in the air. It wasn't a really a wisecrack but he needed to change the mood before he started spilling more of his inner feelings and tell her he is in love with her.

Happy smirked" It's like that joke never gets old. Are you actually hungry?"

"Yes, I had a really productive night, I was peckish before you walked in. Come with me, you know you love nuggets from just about anywhere." Toby answered.

"Sure, the Wendy drive thru should still be open. What did you do tonight? I was surprised to see you at home and not out gambling" Happy said as she stood up and started towards the door.


	2. Chapter 2

"I just didn't feel up to going gambling tonight. I stayed home and played solitaire and my guitar. Was reading some Carl Rogers before you walked in" Toby said as he turned on the ignition to the truck.

Happy smiled it. "Good for you for not going out. You reading psych stuff reminds me; Peyton pointed out you are the only one among the group that actually has a PhD. Isn't that crazy?"

"You say crazy like I didn't get my PhD when I was 17. Ask me something hard about the human psyche or biology. I promise to deliver a mind scorching answer." Toby countered.

"Haha, I recognize an opportunity to show off when I see one…Although, tell me more about people with intimacy issues; what are the stats on it, is there a cure?" Happy asked.

"Oh Happy, everyone has flaws and weakness; nothing to be ashamed about off. I personally enjoy them, it's part of what makes a person interesting" Toby said.

"Well that attitude explains why you never try to get rid of your gambling problem." Happy shot back.

"Hey, I've been managing, haven't I been relatively good lately. By the way, "Cure" is never a word a psychiatrist can really use. It's hard to cure the mind. We help create awareness and prescribe things to try to reduce variation both within the person's spectrum of behavior and the person's behavior relative to everyone else" Toby answered.

"Still no mind scorching answer to my question…" Happy baited.

"You never give cut me too much slack, one of the many things I love about our relationship." Toby said with half a smile. " You asked for it. Mind scorching begins in 3…2…Based on the research done by…."

Toby babbled on about things Happy didn't really understand. She leaned back in the passenger seat and watched his hands move on and off the steering wheel as they made gestures to match his words. Toby hardly ever went to such details about things and his animation and passion was rather sexy. Lost in thought she didn't realize they had pulled into the drive thru line at Wendy till Toby hit the brake, looked directly at her and asked smugly" So where did I lose you?"

"You win, about a min and a half in." Happy replied.

"Now you know I feel when you say things I don't get" Toby said as they moved further up the queue.

"No I don't. I'm not turned on or impressed" Happy said quickly in attempt to hide the fact she actually had been.

"Oh, so you were _very_ turned on and impressed." Toby teased.

"Was not" Happy said as she threw a old napkin in the car at his face.

"Your lips say no but you eyes say yes." Toby said as he wound down the window." You are impossible" Happy said as he ordered, "2 mini cheeseburgers, one small order of nuggets and a large Dr Pepper please"

"Why did you order a Dr Pepper, don't you like Coke?" Happy asked.

"Dr Pepper is our compromise drink, you don't like Coke, I don't like Sprite. And it's economical to order a large drink. You know you're gonna want a little bubbly to wash down the nuggets. You always do." Toby evenly said.

"You know Doc, sometimes you can be really thoughtful" Happy said.

"I'm always thoughtful, that's what we geniuses do best, thinking" Toby answered as he collected their takeout from the window, deliberately misinterpreting her statement. "Let's head home".

They fell into easy conversation on the way home and their ease continued all through supper-ring.

Happy fell asleep thinking: at least I have Toby.

Toby fell asleep thinking: I am an idiot. Should have asked her out first.


	3. Chapter 3

And because Peyton was not idiot (even if he wasn't quite as smart as them), he called two days later to ask Happy out again. Toby knew that having Happy go on a date with Peyton was probably going to be a win-win situation. If it worked out Happy might be really happy and if it didn't work out, having it honestly play out bad would help his case when he tried to ask Happy out subsequently. Still he was only human and felt a large pang of jealousy in hearing Happy smile when she talked to Peyton over the phone to arrange their date for Saturday.

Once again Toby felt very much like gambling due to high anxiety. And once again his desire to know how Happy's date went overruled and he stayed in. Thankfully Ralph and Paige stopped by for dinner. That helped distract him. He wasn't sure that playing solitaire and the guitar was going to cut it this time.

And when he was just about to lose his mind from curiosity, Happy opened the garage door at ten minutes past nine.

She headed to the kitchen and started boiling water. Happy only made tea when she was upset Toby thought as he got up and quietly walked towards the kitchen.

"Hi, how was it?" Toby asked softly.

Happy turned around in fright. " I didn't even know you were down here. He asked me about my past again. I forced myself to answer. His response was very upsetting. He had the worst possible reaction" Happy curtly said.

"Pity" Toby said simply.

"Yes! It was infuriating" Happy said emphatically. Toby turned to her with an understanding smile on his lips.

" I don't think I had a satisfactory childhood but I certainly don't regret it or want anyone's pity. And so when he went on a pity parade I got mad and upset. I tried to tell him as nicely as I know how that maybe how he reacted or feels would impress and be great for other girls but it isn't for me. I told him I wasn't even sure we could be friends after that." Happy went on to state.

"That's harsh Happy. Not even friends." Toby interjected.

"I'm sorry if the Low IQ part of our stereotype kicked into high gear" Happy snapped back as she took the kettle off the stove.

Toby stood back to avoid being splashed with hot water. "Happy I know. Your past made you the strong woman you are today and as much as it sometimes makes you upset and angry, you are secretly proud of how tough and smart it made you. I admire how smart and tough you are. Peyton's feeling of pity doesn't reflect badly on him either. It only reflects how the two of you don't have good chemistry, nothing more." Toby calmly said. He didn't want Happy to feel like anything was her fault.

"I may have been overly harsh on him. But…oh well… is it bad that I'm not that sad?" Happy said as she poured herself some herbal tea. She didn't know how to feel more upset about the ending of the relationship. Peyton and she had barely had one anyway.

" No, and honestly he probably won't be that sad either. It was just two dates. These things happen all the time, chin up?" Toby said as he touched her lightly on the chin. She smiled and nodded. "Do you want to go out dancing with me?" Toby asked after a brainwave.

"I don't dance, you know that" Happy said flatly.

"But you are also not the kind of girls that sits down at home after a bad date. And you wouldn't have to dance. Just come down to the Latin music club downtown with me. I was thinking it's been a while since I went. You can just listen to the music and watch the dancing figures. If we leave now we will get there about 11 and stay for an hour. I will even buy you a drink while we are there. What do you say?" Toby asked extending his hand to her.

"If I don't have to dance and you are buying drinks. I'm in. As much as I would love to stay home and work on my engines…how often do you buy me drinks" Happy said with a cheeky grin.

" I said 1 drink women, but, you know, feel free to start tab" Toby said as he cocked his head.

Happy wasn't sure why she wanted to go into another social experience given she already had one bad one today. But, for some inexplicable reason; the thought of going out with Toby seemed as pleasant and comforting as tightening a wrench.


	4. Chapter 4

When they arrive at the club Toby escorts Happy to a seat at the bar and gets her a Margarita. He then kisses her lightly on the temple and says "I'll be back". Happy watched as the Doc asked a lady to dance and adeptly lead her in the cha-cha. Happy may never admit it to the Doc but Toby's surprising competency at all sorts of social and cultural things did impress her. Sipping her drink and tapping her feet to the different beats, Happy began to notice the different rhythms and the steps associated with each one. Happy was never a big fan of grinding to a fixed beat but the steps and patterns to these dances intrigued her and she found herself wondering how well she would do on the dance floor. The steps seemed like a challenge. And as if reading her thoughts, Toby materialized in front of her as she finished her Margarita.

"Ready to dance? " Toby asked as he stretched out his hand to her.

"Actually yes. " Happy said as she jumped off the bar stool.

"I saw you eyeing the dance floor, working out and remembering which beats go to what steps. And I know you love practicing whatever you figure out almost immediately. " Toby paused for a second to listen out for the beat of the song playing. "This one is a Salsa, and, as much as you might hate it, follow my lead" He continued with a sly smile as guided her to the Ballroom dancer's hold. Happy chuckled, she already figured out she was supposed to follow.

Toby enjoyed the feeling of having Happy close to him and was disappointed when someone asked to cut in. But he reminded himself that having her dance and enjoy being connected to other people was the reason he wanted to take her dancing today. He hoped that the emotional, intellectual and physical connection required of ballroom dancing will give Happy confidence she could connect with people beyond their scorpion family. "Save the last dance for me" Toby whispered to Happy as he let her go.

Once Happy realized that closeness was part of the paradigm of dancing, she was able to overcome the discomfort she felt from the unusualness of being near someone and enjoy herself. She took pleasure from feeling her body master the steps and following her partner correctly. Being able to follow accurately made her feel like she could read her partners mind and it made her feel powerful. Her sense of accomplishment increased with repeat dancers with the same partner as she became familiar with individual styles.

Soon it was 2am and the club's DJ was announcing the last dance. Toby walked up to Happy.

"Saved the last dance for me?" Toby asked as he winked at Happy.

"Of course" Happy replied surprisingly coquettishly.

It was the argentine tango. Happy told Toby she had sat out on all the previous Tangos because the hold was closer than the others. Toby offered to sit it out too but she shook her head and told him that it was the last dance for the night and she couldn't possibly sit it out.

Being so close to Toby, Happy found her nose pressed against his chest and could smell the slight sweat he had worked up over the night. He actually didn't smell that bad she thought. Toby looked down at her dark hair as they danced and tried to concentrate really hard because her closeness was making him light headed. After coming back into hold after a beautiful spin, Happy looked up to smile at Toby. Mutual awareness of how close their lips and bodies were registered in both their eyes. The heightened level of intimacy stunned Happy and she quickly turned her head back down to face his chest. Toby opened his mouth to say something about it but before he could the music stopped and they broke their hold.


	5. Chapter 5

They didn't talk much on the way home. He asked if she was hungry. She said there was a frozen pizza at the garage. He asked if she enjoyed herself. She answered that she did.

"Why did you suggest dancing?"Happy asked as they waited for the oven to pre-heat.

"I thought you would enjoy the casual connections you would make with each dance. I wanted you to feel good about yourself." Toby answered.

"About halfway through the night I guessed as much. I know I don't say this often enough but you really are a good shrink and you know how to treat your patients." Happy said.

"You are not a patient, you are my friend and I will always try to help whenever I can." Toby replied.

"I appreciate it. Going out dancing tonight was what I needed. How did you learn to dance like that?" Happy asked changing topic.

Toby launched into an explanation on how young doctors like making bets with each other and how losing involved taking Ballroom dancing lessons and participating in a competition. They spent the rest of the night in effortless, light hearted conversation as if both mutually agreeing to forget that moment during the Argentine Tango.


	6. Chapter 6

A Monday morning 2 months later:

Paige walks into the garage and notices with that all four of them were working on their separate projects as usual. She spotted Toby reading at his table and remembered something they had talked about a few months ago and walked towards him to ask about it.

"Did you take Happy to the Monster Truck Rally last weekend?" Paige asked as she stood in front of Toby's desk.

"Nope" Toby said without looking up.

"Why not? The Peyton thing was quite a while back now. And even if it you didn't want to go as a date, you guys could have just gone as friends hanging out. You didn't have to waste the money completely" Paige persisted in probing.

Toby looked up, "I got those tickets almost 4 months in advance thinking that at some point I would find the perfect moment to ask her but it never came."

Paige narrowed her eyes," you couldn't have possibly been afraid she'd say no."

"Actually, given how much time we've spent together over the last two months, I am pretty sure she'd have said yes to a date out of sheer curiosity. I mean there is a small chance she'd say no and conclude that everything nice I've ever done for her was to eventually get into her pants and be really mad at me… I was actually more afraid of what would happen if she said yes." Toby confessed.

"Why? Friendship is a great foundation for a romantic relationship. You guys obviously have chemistry. You've liked her for months and I am pretty sure she likes you too" Paige said.

"That's just it." Toby said quietly. "Our relationship is the best relationship I've ever had. I can't bear the thought of screwing us up. I choke and screw up good things all the time. But with her, I don't want to screw up, I can't. Not asking her out on date just seems like the safe thing to do, even if not the most satisfying."

Paige thought for a minute on how best to respond. "One: a relationship involves two people and you should be fair and let her have a say on where she thinks your relationship is going. Two: You haven't really choked in months, maybe you grew out of it. And Three: What you have with Happy right now is great but you shouldn't deny yourself the chance for something better just because you're scared. You are the best gambler I know, do you really believe the risk is not worth the payout?"

"I…think so. " Toby answered slowly.

"Ok. But don't dismiss what I said will you? Think about it?" Paige said hopefully.

" I will." Toby said and tipped his hat at Paige.

As they wrapped up their conversation, Walter could be seen walking down the stairs in a hurry.

"I have to go take care of something for my sister. Be right back." Walter whizzed past them muttering something under his breath.

"Doesn't he see his sister on Friday?" Paige asked

"Did he just say Jail?" Toby countered.

"No I think he said bail." Paige replied back. Both looked at each other puzzled.


	7. Chapter 7

Even with the 48 hours near death experience in Bosnia, Toby still found time to mull over what Paige said. He concluded that Paige was right about at least one thing: A relationship was two people and he should at least talk to Happy about the possibilities of their relationship and maybe ask her out? Especially since both he and Paige agreed that Happy on occasion did show caring for him that could be read as more than friendship. She let him take care of her a little the last two days, Happy wouldn't do that unless she trusted him.

Late Tuesday night, Toby saw Happy resting on the sofa. Her leg was propped up and she was working on some small metal objects, Toby thought she looked impossibly adorable. He put the monster truck rally tickets down next to her. Happy put down her tools and glanced at the tickets next to her.

"These were from last weekend. I didn't know you went?" Happy said turning to him.

"I didn't. I got them for us to go together" Toby said uncertainly.

Happy frowned, not quite understanding. "But we didn't go".

"I got those tickets a few months back to ask you to go. Like a date. I was so close to asking you during the James Reid case but you walked towards Peyton Temple instead of me so I didn't get a chance to ask you. And ever since then I've been finding it hard to ask you again."

Happy continued to look confused." We see each other _every_ day."

"You are right. It wasn't hard due to lack of opportunity. It's been hard because…because I really like you. I treasure our friendship and the longer and stronger our friendship grows, the more scared I've been to rock the boat, to screw up, to hurt you, to be hurt." Toby anxiety was growing and he started talking at a pace faster than what Happy was familiar with. "We almost died 24 hours ago, and as much as I am not planning on giving up anytime soon, I am not sure waiting too long is a good idea; if we had gotten separated instead of separated together, I might have never seen you again. I already missed one opportunity to ask you on a date. I don't know how many more I can keep missing before I run out of time. So… I was just thinking we could go on a date like thing. It doesn't have to be a full date but maybe just two of us hanging out special. Please give me a chance to show you how special you are to me and how much better I can take care of you. I know I don't have the best track record, in fact I might probably let you down at some point but I will always …" Happy grabbed his arms before he started hyper ventilating or maybe before she did. He seemed headed towards the L-word and she didn't know what else to do.

"Yes" Happy said. Toby stopped talking and looked at her. "Yes, we can go on that date- experiment thing. You are right; we could die at any moment now that we work for the Fed and don't just fix computers." Happy continued.

"Ok. Good." Toby said calming down. "We clearly can't do the monster truck thing. I will plan something else. How bout Saturday, work willing. I know you hate surprises and I will let you know as soon as I decide what it is; nothing that would require special effort on your part. I promise."

"Ok" Happy said.

"Ok" Toby said.

They looked at each other, both realizing how silly they were behaving and shared a smile.

"Okie" Toby said with emphasis. "I will let you know about Saturday. And, Happy, thanks for saying yes."

"Thanks for asking" Happy responded.


	8. Chapter 8

"You look really nice. I really like the earrings and pendant. The star shapes really suit you" Toby said as Happy got into the truck. In order to keep the privacy of the date, they had made up excuse that Happy needed Toby to drive her around to run errands. Walter and Sylvester, true to form, did not give them a second look as they walked out together at 730 at night.

"Thanks. Paige helped me pick them out yesterday" Happy said.

"You told Paige we were going out?"Toby asked surprised.

"Yeah, you don't mind right? I figured it was OK since she already knew about the Monster Truck Rally. She was pretty excited. It was very paige." Happy replied.

Toby chuckled at Happy's use of Paige as a verb and said, "I think it's great you told her. She probably really enjoyed being part of knowing. " Toby knew that Happy telling Paige meant she was pretty excited about tonight. He felt ridiculously happy.

"Yeah, you are right." Happy agreed.

Toby decided to do something quite different from Monster truck. He decided to take her to a Comedy Club. He decided something free form, casual and maybe something that made her think of him. He would like to think he made her laugh a lot.

Seated side by side on one of the small round tables, he was surprised by how Happy let him put his arm around her shoulders, put his hand on her thigh and let him lean in close to whisper in her ear. She looked happy; laughing with him, smiling at him. Toby began to feel hopeful, he wasn't as cynical as Happy but he still knew that most of the time, you didn't get to have your cake and eat it too.

Happy didn't know how to feel or even what to think. On one hand she felt really good. She had come to really enjoy spending time with Toby and being so close to him added to her enjoyment. His casual touches were both exciting and comforting. She knew he did care for her and care quite a lot, but she wasn't sure how much to trust him anyway. Her fear increased as she felt her emotional armor chip away with each word and touch. To be fair to Toby, this date had been a long time coming. She had already an idea of how he felt just like he said Bosnia. For a minute she thought he had felt nothing more than friendship for her from his reactions to her dates with Temple. But his revelation at Bosnia had changed that. She couldn't deny that Toby was special to her; she had said yes to this outing and had even looked forward to it. It was the way he always seemed to see her, and not just her looks or her brain but her soul as well. That really wore down her defenses. She knew the whole connection thing she had been worried about with Temple was a non issue with Toby, they were practically best friends. With Toby, her fear was different, she was afraid that Toby could break her heart.

Toby noticed the wavering in her smile and asked if she was all right. She shook her head and told him that it was nothing he needed to worry about it. She knew better than to lie and say it was just nothing. He accepted her word and told her she could always talk to him and tell him anything. He took her hand and she squeezed it, determined to enjoy the rest of the outing.


	9. Chapter 9

Because of her leg, Toby dropped Happy off at the garage before going to park the car. By the time he had parked and walked into the garage, Happy was nowhere in sight. He felt slight dismayed as he walked up to her door and gently knocked, "Are you all right? Do you need me to massage your leg?"

"I'm fine", Happy grunted.

"Ok, well, I'm going to get ready for bed. Let me know if you need anything. I hope you had fun tonight."Toby said, hoping he didn't sound as wounded as he felt. Happy felt a pang of guilt, she hadn't meant to be rude.

Toby was settled in bed with a book when he saw Happy appear at his door.

"Can I come in?" Happy asked.

"Of course" Toby answered as he shifted in bed to give her room to sit and put up her leg.

"I am sorry I skipped out after the comedy club. I guess I wasn't sure how we acted after something like that. I did have a nice time."Happy said apologetically.

Toby was relieved to hear her words and smiled. "Everything is good Happy, as long you had a good time, I'm happy. "

"So what is the protocol with this? " Happy asked. "I mean, if this was a real date you would have kissed me at the end, or at least tried. "

Toby wasn't sure why she brought up kissing but was so glad that she did. "Do you want me to me to kiss you? "

"Do you want to kiss me? "Happy asked back quickly.

Toby inhaled sharply, "Oh Happy, you _know_ I want to."

"Maybe we should" Happy said so quietly that Toby almost didn't hear it. She was looking down and he could tell she was a little nervous saying that.

"Tell me what you think" Toby said as he lifted her face and kissed her before either of them had chance to change their mind. He wanted the kiss to be soft and sweet but her positive response fed his desire and he pulled her in gently to kiss her a little more deeply. The intenseness must have shocked her because she pulled back.

"It was good" Happy said hurriedly. Her face was flushed with pleasure and her breathing slightly labored. "How was it for you?" She asked at an attempt to sound unaffected.

Her uncharacteristic flustering warmed Toby's heart. "I don't know, I think I am going to have to kiss you again to be sure." Toby said teasingly. Happy saw the mischief in his eyes. She reached out to punch him lightly, "You are incorr…". Toby didn't give her a chance to finish and captured her lips again. Toby was being infuriating but she couldn't think of that. All she could think about was what a good kisser he was as she kissed him back.

This time Toby pulled away first.

"Better than any fantasy I have ever had of you. You are so beautiful" Toby said gruffly.

"Well since we got that all sorted out, I guess I should go back to my room" Happy said as she stood to leave. She didn't really want to leave but their level of intimacy just went up a notch and she wasn't sure she could handle herself. Toby had other ideas and held her wrist lightly.

" Stay with me. I promise we won't do anything more. Please just let me hold you while you sleep." Toby implored.

There was something in the vulnerability in Toby's eyes that Happy found to match her own. She couldn't leave him and sat back down against his chest. He put his arms around her and she leaned in. They sat in comforting silence for a while as he stroked her and kissed the top of her head. His touches were sensual and reassuring. Happy had never felt so at ease with anyone. After about 15 minutes Happy found herself falling asleep and he offered to change to a lying position.

As they got comfortable in the classic spoon position Happy heard Toby ask, "Happy?" She recognized the equivocation intention in his question and smiled.

She turned her face slightly to face him, kissed him lightly on the lips and said, "Yes"


	10. Holiday Special- Part 1

_This is not meant to strictly continue where I left off. Just a little holiday departure with a little bit of everyone in it. _

Paige and Ralph walked into the garage after school on the Wednesday two weeks before Christmas. Paige was surprised to hear Christmas carols and to see Sylvester and Toby sitting on the couch watching the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas tree.

"It's the one thing they do together. It reminiscent of the few good memories they had growing up. It's a little silly but it makes them happy" Walter said as he came down the stairs and answered her unasked question.

"Wells that's adorable and sad, all at the same time" Paige said with a slight frown. "although since we are talking about trees, what do you think of getting a tree for the garage? I have this old, small plastic tree in my apartment from before but since I have a bit more money now, I was thinking of springing for a live tree. Maybe a medium-big one we could put here so that everyone can enjoy. And before you say what I am sure you're going to say. There will be no religious or holiday pretense to the tree. It will be just aesthetic. And I thought it would be nice for Ralph to have some festivities after so many years. The last 7 years has been just the two of us for the holidays. Although, seeing Sylvester and Toby watching the Rockefeller tree light up. Maybe it would be nice for them too. " Paige said as she looked over to see Ralph seated in between Toby and Sylvester on the couch watching the show too. Ralph was talking to Toby and pointing at the screen. Ralph was laughing. Paige smiled and knew that despite how controversial her decision may have been to be part of Scorpion. It was probably worth it.

Something about Paige's smile always made Walter remarkably agreeable. "You are right" Walter said, breaking into Paige's thoughts. " We should get a tree, most companies and families do. Even in Ireland my family had a tree. And you wouldn't have to pay for everything. I will pitch in and the rest I am sure will too. It would be a nice change. And to celebrate how successful the last 6 months has been."

"Then it's settled. We should all go and pick out a tree this weekend" Paige said gleefully.

As they wrapped up their Christmas tree conversation, Ralph came up to his mom and said,"Mom, can we come back tomorrow to watch the live performance of Peter Pan? Toby was telling me how the main part has a long tradition of being played by a woman. It's intriguing."

"Sure, as long you finish all your homework." Paige said. Walter and Ralph shared a smile as Paige's typical/normal response.

"What's so funny guys?" Happy asked as she walked in from her work station.

"I don't know. Nothing?" Paige said.. "Oh Happy, Walter decided it would be a good idea to get a tree for the garage on Saturday. Do you have ideas on how we could do the lights special or even maybe make some?" Paige asked Happy. She was excited and wanted to be infectious.

"Sure." Happy said not so surely at all. " Come over to my station and you can tell me what you had in mind"


	11. Holiday Special- Part 2

Only Toby and Ralph sat on the sofa watching Peter Pan. Paige had taken the opportunity to run errands and nobody else wanted to see it. Toby didn't think the production was bad; the singing was pretty good. Toby had always found the story of Peter Pan enchantingly sweet and enjoyed it every time he has seen it. He also watched Ralph watching it. The boy's eyes were like saucers. He knew the boy was trying to figure out the logic behind the tricks instead of just suspending belief like everyone else. Although, Toby thought, there is an awful lot of color in this. Maybe the boy was over visually stimulated too.

They didn't talk much during the show and Ralph asked Toby what he thought of the Ads during commercial breaks. Toby wasn't sure Ralph had thought much of Peter Pan at all until the end when Ralph turned to him and said," Don't you think my mom is like Wendy, Walter is like Peter Pan and the rest of you the Lost boys?"

Toby grinned. " You know Ralph I was just thinking the same. You are a pretty smart kid you know. And I don't just mean here smart" Toby said pointing his index finger to his temple. "But here smart" He said as he pointed to his heart.


	12. Holiday Special- Part 3

Walking through a Christmas tree lot with a person MS and OCD was harder than Walter thought it was going to be. Ironically, Ralph was the most easy going of them. Paige with Happy's electrical expertise had picked out a spot in the garage that would give maximum aesthetic effect. However, Sylvester had other plans. Sylvester had the exact diameter, height and location the tree should be in so that it would cause lest amount of damage if it were to catch fire. He was walking round the lot with a measuring tape and determining the most probable angle each tree would fall to see which would fit his measurements best. Ralph followed Sylvester closely without realizing his attention was feeding Sylvester craziness.

Walter and Paige walked slowly behind the group with Megan. Megan was telling stories of what they had done for Christmas in Ireland. Paige thought having 's day off was very civilized considering the partying that goes on during Christmas. And, like most women, she really liked the idea of a women's Christmas; Epiphany day.

After over an hour of walking, Walter knew his sister was exhausted and pointed out to Sylvester that any tree within the last standard deviation of his calculation would be fine as the probability of finding and exact match is low. Sylvester pointed out he would have to see every tree before he could map out the distribution anyway.

"I meant the distribution he must have had before coming here based on average Christmas trees. It would have been less accurate than doing a distribution based on the trees here but with this large enough sample size, it would have been close." Walter said clearly frustrated. "Do you want to sit down somewhere Sis?" He asked as he turned to Megan.

"Sure. We've come this far, I don't want to go back to the garage without a tree." Megan cheerfully responded.

"Paige, do you want to catch with Toby and Happy? We will wait for the rest of you at the Exit" Walter said to Paige.

"Sure. I will do my best to hurry Sylvester along."Paige said to Walter and then turned to Megan and said," Although Sylvester investment in the tree is really great. I am totally not offended he dissed my idea of where the tree should be."

After waiting another half and hour, Walter and Megan could finally see Toby and Happy dragging a wrapped up tree to the exit with Ralph running ahead of them.

"Sylvester found a tree that was perfect." Ralph said triumphantly to Walter and Megan.

"Perfection happens when you persevere." Megan said to Ralph. "Walter, help me up." She said as she extended her hand to her brother.

"I just realized I may not have enough Christmas ornaments for the Tree we got. I think I should swing by the store to get more on the way back to the garage. Walter, I am assuming you and Megan should head back in your car so she can rest. But Toby and Happy, only one of you needs to drive the truck back with the tree. One of you can come with me. And Sylvester, you can definitely come with me if you like."Paige said.

"I can drive the tree back in the truck. Happy and Sylvester can go with you." Toby quickly volunteered.

"Are you sure you won't need my help getting the tree into the house?" Happy countered.

"No, I got Walt. We will be fine" Toby replied looking at Walter.

"We will be fine" Walter nodded, affirming Toby's statement.

"Yeah, come Happy." Ralph pleaded.

"Well, I guess that's settled then." Happy said to Ralph. She then turned around to jab Toby in the ribs. "You got me ambushed by a kid. You know I don't like doing stuff like that" She said softly through clenched teeth so only Toby could hear.

"Paige is literally the best person to take you on your virgin Christmas shopping trip. You can thank me later." Toby whispered into her ear as he picked up the tree to walk towards the truck. "Sylvester, who are you riding with?" Toby asked.

"Definitely not with you. You and Happy keep the truck filthy. Umm... I can go ornament shopping." Sylvester said.

"OK, great. Toby, I will see you at the house in 25 minutes, and the rest of you, in an hour?" Walter asked.

"An hour and a half at the latest" Paige nodded as they all turned to walk their separate ways.


	13. Holiday Special- Part 4

By the time Paige and the ornament buying team had come back, the tree was up exactly the way Sylvester had wanted. Walter, Megan and Toby were sitting on the sofas sipping the buttered rum Toby has made. Happy walked in to see Megan laughing at one of Toby's jokes as she squeezed his forearm. Happy's insides involuntarily twisted. But she swallowed it down. She was not going to feel whatever that was, besides they had a tree to decorate.

"Toby. Rum. Really?" Paige said as she sniffed the cup Toby handed her.

"We are not five and we are genius. And did we all not already mention how much we don't love Christmas? If we aren't a little tipsy, this is not going to be fun. Especially for you. Do you want us agreeing on things or fighting about whose idea of symmetry is more accurate?" Toby said to Paige.

"The tree doesn't have to be symmetrical." Paige said a little confused.

"Yes it does, we should start putting the non-symmetrical ornaments first." Sylvester said at the same time Happy said they should start with the lights.

"I see what you mean" Paige said to Toby as she held up her glass. Toby and her clinked glasses and took a drink.

After much compromise mediated by Megan the tree was finally decorated to everyone's equal dissatisfaction.

"I know your tricks. Nobody wake up in the middle of the night to "fix" the tree to your liking. It's going to look exactly like this when I come back Christmas eve dinner." Megan said eyeing each genius.

"You don't want to do what we usually do for Christmas? " Walter asked Megan.

"With the tree I thought maybe we can all do something here together. I could come out Christmas eve and stay overnight and go back Christmas Day" Megan said.

"Sure." He turned to the rest. "Do you all have plans for Christmas? I have never asked before." Walter asked.

"I am just usually here. Nothing different this year. If Megan wants to come over that would be fine with me." Sylvester said. After the Ghost and Bosnia incidents he frankly felt more safe with Megan than he did with Walter. He would be very relieved to have Megan spend more time with them.

"I was just planning to spend time with my blowtorch" Happy said.

"Is that what you call your vibrator?" Toby mischievously whispered.

"No, that's not I call my vibrator," Happy said through the side of her mouth.

"Oh, so you have a vibra..."Toby replied as Walter cut into their conversation.

"Toby, I am waiting, what are your plans for Christmas?"Walter repeated.

Toby shook his head. "No plans this year."

"Then it's settled. We should all do something together. Walter, invite Cabe." Megan said. "I know it's too late for everyone to get gifts for everybody but we could do a Secret Santa thing and we'd only need to get one gift each. What do you all say?" Megan went on.

"The thing where we out all our names in a container and only buy a gift for the person we pick out?" Happy asked.

"Yeah. You guys should do it" Paige said.

"You won't join in?" Walter asked perplexed.

"Well it would depend on when you do it. I already committed Christmas Even to Drew. I thought I was going to come Christmas Day and bring Ralph and Lunch. If you want to do gift exchange Christmas Day I can be part of it." Paige answered.

"We can do gift exchange Christmas Day. You should ask Drew to join us too if he wants." Walter said.

"That's sweet. Thank you. I will let him know. Maybe just for the food. Not for the gifts. That might be weird." Paige said.

"So are we doing the Secret Santa thing or not?" Sylvester.

"I'm in" Toby said.

"I guess I can do 1 gift." Happy said as she look around.

"I guess we are doing it?" Walter asked, looking at Sylvester.

"Ok. I have never gotten a gift for anyone before. I am going to need help." Sylvester said a little anxiously.

"I am sure one of them will help you." Walter said looking around. "Let me call Cabe."

"It would depend on who you get but I can help you. " Toby offered as Walter pulled away to call Cabe.

"Thanks. Does 'depend' mean if I pick you, you can't help me?" Sylvester said.

"Not necessarily. You almost never tell the person you picked that you have them till they receive their gift. Sometimes people like guessing after gift giving. I can give you general advice but if you tell me specifically who you pick I can help you better." Toby answered.

"So I can tell everyone who I picked except the person I picked till after gift giving? " Sylvester clarified.

"Technically yes but it is always more fun if you tell less people. So if Toby is helping you out, better to tell him but not anyone else." Megan replied.

" I get it." Sylvester said as Walter walked back.

"Cabe is enthused about the whole Christmas thing. He insists on being part of secret Santa and being on video call as we pick names." Walter said as he held out his phone to show Cabe waving on the screen.

"Let's get this started," Cabe said.

Paige quickly wrote all their names out and put it in clean cup. They all drew names and when it came to Cabe. Walter drew and faced the name to the phone camera.

"Anyone pick themselves?" Paige said when it was all done. "No response. That means no. So we will do gift exchange Christmas day. I will bring lunch."

"I can make Christmas day lunch." Toby stated.

Everyone turned to stare at him.

"You burn toast." Happy said matter- of- factly.

"I don't burn toast. I like my toast crisp. I helped my mother make Christmas dinner every year. She could never be trusted in the kitchen by herself. I can't make pasta but I make a mean green bean casserole." Toby replied.

"OK then. Well Toby let me if you want me to help in anyway and the rest of you text me if Toby is burning everything and you need me to bring KFC." Paige said teasingly. "Ralph honey, ready to go?"

Ralph had been sitting with their Rubik Cubes. He was not making them 'right' but making geometric patterns on each side of the cubes.

"Wow, that's impressive Ralph." Megan said as Ralph went up to his mom.

"Thank you." Ralph replied as they he turned to follow his mom out.

When they left Toby turned the the group and said, " I think we should all get Ralph something. He deserves a big Christmas with too many presents."

"I think that's a good idea." Walter said as he looked at Toby with understanding as they both reached the same thought." Especially since there is a chance Drew might not be here and Ralph will be disappointed."

The gang nodded in agreement. Not one of them trusted Drew that much.

"Soo..who did you get Sylvester?" Toby said changing the subject as they all got up to do their separate things.


	14. Holiday Special- Part 5

**_I couldn't help myself and did a Quintis chapter before doing Secret Santa_**

"Happy come out from behind the counter and sit down with me to watch this. You know you want to. " Toby said as he turned to face Happy standing behind the kitchen counter. "you know, I think you volunteered to get this for us this year instead of making Syl and me pay one month of Cable because you wanted to watch this." Toby said as Happy walked towards the sofa and sat down.

"I got it because I felt sorry for you guys." Happy said.

"Although you may find the sentiment mushy, you like the mechanics behind the displays. There is nothing wrong with wanting to watch Light Fight. You don't have to hide. I won't tell. I promise." Toby said with a wink.

"If you don't stop yapping I'm going to leave and shut this off." Happy threatened. Toby has been right about her wanting to watch the Light Fight show. She thought it was a little interesting and besides, she wanted ideas about the gift they were planning for Ralph. But she hated when Toby gloated when he was right.

"OK, I will shut up." Toby said as he faced the TV screen. "Want me to get you a drink?" He said. Happy glared at him. "I was only asking a question. I'll get you a beer." Toby said lightly as he stood up and walked towards the kitchen.

As he sat down again, Happy remarked, "This guy just said a 3 minute song with synchronized lights takes 80 hours of programming."

"You think you can do it in 40?" Toby asked as he handed her her beer.

"I might be able to do it in 20 depending on the complexity of it. You could do it in 40. I am thinking his equipment is pretty old." Happy replied as she took a swig at her beer. True enough, some of the equipment was quite old. She thought both of them could have done it half the time at least.

And so the next two hours flew by as Happy gave Toby detailed explanations about what had been good and bad about the execution of each display. No, they didn't talk at all about the prettiness of any one of them and neither of them cared.

"Same time next week?" Toby asked as the second episode's credit's rolled.

"I guess."Happy said uncommitted-ly.

" Don't play coy, we already established you like this and you know we will be watching this next week. You hanging out down here? I think I have to go take a cold shower right now." Toby said standing up.

"Why?" Happy asked pointedly.

"You know how turned on I get when you talk smart." Toby said as he tried to hide his arousal.

"Gross." Happy said, her face consorted in disgust.

"Please, this whole evening has been a power trip for you and you kinda liked it." Toby said with a grin. " And I kinda liked you liking it."

By the time Toby had come down from his long cold shower Happy had fallen asleep on the sofa with the TV on. Toby found it adorable that she would do that, she was usually so careful about doing things that might make her look vulnerable. Maybe she had too much to drink he thought as he scooped her up to carry her to bed. Toby put Happy down on her twin sized bed, pulled the covers over her and put three cups of water on her bedside table.

Happy woke up to the sunlight streaming into her window. She wasn't sure how she got into bed. She saw that she had not even changed out of the clothes she had worn the day before, very unlike her. She then saw the three cups of water next to her bed and knew it must have been Toby that brought her to bed. Only he would put three glasses of water next to her. He was the only one in the house that would have put too many, just in case. She smiled as she shook her head.

"Wake up sleepyhead. Ready to go Christmas lunch shopping with me?" Toby said more brightly than his usual morning self as he knocked and entered the door without waiting for her response.

Speak of the devil she thought as she poked her head from under the covers to face him. "Right.. I promised I would that with you. Go downstairs and wait for me, I will be ready in 10 minutes." She said as she pulled the covers to her chin as if she didn't want him to look at her in bed. "And three glasses of water. Really? I wasn't drunk, just tired." She said grumpier than she felt. Ever since Bosnia there relationship was stuck at some point of inflection; there was a part of her that didn't want him to give up and a part of her that wanted to make him sweat, just to make sure it was for real. He was the king of manipulation, who knew what she could trust.

"Ok, I will be waiting downstairs with coffee. And toast, just the way you like it." Toby said with a devastating smile.

Half an hour later they were at the supermarket shopping.

"If you asked me 6 years ago when I first met Walter if I would ever be grocery shopping for a Christmas lunch he would be part of, I would have said no. But, here we are doing exactly that. Between you and me, Paige and Megan have him wrapped around their little fingers. There is nothing he wouldn't do for them. " Toby said as they started loading the cart with produce.

"Well, one _is_ his dying sister and the other, he's totally into. I'm surprised he doesn't know how much he likes her. That Lamborghini incident should have been his sign."Happy stated.

"Well...Paige isn't exactly his usual. She's a little less bimbo-tic than the rest. That and Ralph might throw him off his own self awareness. I always think that with Walter, the closer you are to his intellectual equal, the more asexual you are his mind, that's why he only forms romantic attachments to women way below his intellectual capability. Me, on the other hand, I have always liked my women smart. " Toby said as he gave her a side ways glance.

"How do you make every conversation about yourself?" Happy snorted.

"I do not make _every_ conversation about me. If we talk more about me, it's because you don't like talking about you. I would like nothing more than to talk about you. Like who did you get for Secret Santa? From your reaction as I asked, I know it's not me." Toby said in his mock shrink tone just to annoy her.

"I am not Sylvester and do not need your help to pick out my gift. Don't be nosy." Happy dismissively as she turned to look at hams. " You are the cook, tell me what you think is the right size?" Happy continued to speak, deflecting his question.

"So you did get Megan. Lucky her, among all of us, you could give her the best gift. " Toby said as he tossed a ham into the cart.

Happy continued to ignore him as she asked about started walking towards the baking section, signalling him to follow her as she questioned his baking abilities.

Toby shook his head as he pushed the cart to follow her. Good for her for wanting to keep her Secret Santa integrity he thought. And with a behind like that, she could lead him to wherever because just how Walter was wrapped around Paige's and Megan's fingers, Toby was wrapped around Happy's.


	15. Holiday Special- Part 6

_**Last Holiday Chapter. Hope you enjoyed the holiday departure and that it made you smile. Merry Holidays everybody.**_

Paige hadn't planned on spending Christmas Eve at the garage or with the team but with the change in plans in Drew, she wanted to stop by anyway to ask if they could come over tonight. Ralph was bummed Drew had to go out of town for a try out. Besides, coming over today meant she could give them the little gifts she got them. She knew she was only obligated to buy only one person a gift due to the Secret Santa arrangement but when she saw those Christmas ornaments, she couldn't help herself.

Black Sabbath was playing as she walked in and true to their word, no one was doing anything Christmas-sy. Were they only going to do the Christmas things Megan had arranged she thought with a bemused smile as she dumped the rest of her Christmas gear on the chair. Paige did not miss Toby's comment about Drew and thought how the Doc's sixth sense about people can be trying. But there was no time for anyone to dwell about Drew when Walter called them from the beach saying a boy was stuck in a cave.

* * *

><p>After a difficult afternoon, no one had explicitly mentioned moving their Christmas Day date to Christmas Eve but everyone seemed to know that was exactly what they were doing. Cabe, Walter, Sylvester and Ralph were in the living area playing games and hanging out while Toby, Megan and Paige were in the kitchen getting ready the food Toby had prepped yesterday.<p>

"Hey where is Happy?" Megan asked. "She's not outside with everyone else."

"She had to run an errand. She will be back for dinner." Toby answered smoothly as he stirred his gravy. Toby whipped out his phone as the two ladies were chatting and sent a quick text.

"Toby, I am impressed. This all looks like it will be pretty good. " Paige said as she cut garnishing for the food.

"Well I told you what I did Christmas Day, this is what I would do Christmas Eve. Or at least what my family tried to do." Toby said as he adjusted the temperature of the oven.

"So how are you and Happy?" Paige asked pleasantly.

"Yeah, what's going on? Walter hasn't told me anything since the Mark Collins incident and that was months ago. And now that I've spent time with both of you...I can't tell if my brother hasn't told me anything recently because he doesn't want to gossip or because he doesn't see it .You two clearly have something special." Megan said with a smile.

"Hold your horses ladies, being in the kitchen doesn't turn me into a girl." Toby said as he took out the casserole and put the Ham in the oven.

"So, him not answering directly means progress that he's to shy to share..that's good." Paige said as she winked at Megan.

Toby shook his head. "This is what I get for not being outside playing video games like the rest of the men folk" Toby said. "And, Yes, we all know normal men are watching football...but we all know that's not happening outside." Toby went on as girls burst into laughter.

* * *

><p>Happy felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. It was a text from Toby.<p>

_We are waiting for you to have dinner. Take your time, I will stall._

Happy exhaled as she leaned back in the car seat. The Doc knew exactly where she was. She has been parked and sitting outside her dad's workshop for 13 minutes now. She looked at Toby's text again. Screw it she thought. She grabbed the card from the passenger seat and opened the car door. She hated when Toby was right.

* * *

><p>"Toby, this is the best Christmas dinner I have had in years. Thank you for cooking it." Patrick said as he wiped the corner of his mouth with his napkin.<p>

"Thank you Mr Quinn. And, Thank you to everyone else for believing in my cooking abilities." Toby said teasingly as looked around the table.

"If it makes you feel better, I calculated you only had a 2.235% chance of giving us food poisoning." Sylvester said

"And you still refused the 5th slice of ham because it was too near the middle." Toby said was an exaggerated wounded expression.

"As I said, 2.235%" Sylvester said not backing down from his stance.

Megan and Paige looked at each other across the table and giggled. "I know I am not the youngest here but who is in the mood to open Christmas Presents now? I am _dying_ to see what I got." Megan saids with a grin.

"You know Sis, that dying thing really only worked first two Christmases after we found out you got MS. It is tradition to wait till tomorrow." Walter stated looking at Megan.

"New crowd Walter, I got to try the dying thing. Come on, Ralph, do you want to open presents now?" Megan said winking at Ralph.

"Since none of us believe in Santa or Christmas in general. I vote to open presents now." Toby said as he stands up to walk towards the tree to start distributing the presents underneath.

"Are we guessing in turns and then getting confirmation if it is right or wrong immediately?" Sylvester asked. "Because if we do that, the probability of getting it right gets higher and higher. According to the premise of this activity, that defeats the fun."

"Right Sylvester. Why don't we all open the gifts, take turns to guess and then after everyone has guessed we can confirm if they were right or wrong." Cabe offers.

"Sounds good" Walter says as Toby sits down from distributing gifts.

"I am sorry Mr Quinn. We don't have a present for you." Paige said.

"That's all right. I am just happy to be here." Patrick said smiling in Happy's direction.

"Everybody ready to open the presents?"Megan asked as she looked round the table. The all nodded in agreement as they started unwrapping.

Happy got a brand new wrench set. Toby had gotten a new hat that looked exactly like his old one. Sylvester got a Super Funman t shirt and the latest comic. Paige got a pair of shoes. Walter got _The Book of Questions_. Cabe got a lenticular picture of him and his daughter. Megan got a pair of collapsible titanium crutches.

"I have to guess first and this has to be from Happy." Megan says beaming as she starts putting her crutches together.

"I am guessing mine is Walter" Cabe said as he turned his gift around for them to see the picture. "The ability to find this picture, put the negatives together and print them to make this image. It must be one of the geniuses. Not that I am saying the rest of you weren't smart enough to do this but I guess Walter, for now anyway." Cabe said eyeing all 4 geniuses evenly.

"I guess the exact opposite subset of people." Walter said as he eyed his book. "Whoever got these wanted me to work on my relationships. Obviously either Paige or Cabe. I actually think I know who my sister got because we went shopping so I am not going to include her in the mix."

"You got to pick one person Walter." Megan said.

"Well since Paige more consistently tells me how to behave with more EQ. I am going to guess Paige." Walter said.

Paige raised a quizzical eyebrow at Walter as she said, " I think I am guessing Megan. I was thinking maybe Toby at first but these are two pretty for him to pick out." Besides, Paige thought, someone who doesn't really walk might be more likely to think of buying shoes.

"Why would you think I would get you shoes?" Toby asked incredulously as he took a turn at guessing. "I think my obvious need for a hat might have made buying a gift for me easy. However, this hat is an exact likeness of my old hat. This means that it must be someone who has known be longer than a few months. This eliminates Megan and Cabe...and Paige. I think we are all pretty certain Megan's gift came from Happy. I know who Sylvester got. So, just like Cabe, I am guessing Walter." Toby said

"Trying to undermine my guess Kid?" Cabe said with a grin. Toby just shrugged his shoulders.

"I find myself in a similar situation as Toby in the sense it is obvious that I would want wrenches." Happy said. "However, there is something so precise about the way this was packaged and wrapped that makes me think that it has to be Sylvester. Who else would care that much about symmetry" Happy finished.

"Sylvester, your turn to guess." Megan said.

"I..guess Cabe." Sylvester said. "I am guessing him since no one has guessed him yet and that this is well..quite a fatherly gift."

"So who was right?" Megan asked excitedly. "I was right wasn't I?" Megan said looking in Happy direction.

"Yes you were." Happy said as she nodded.

"Happy these are beautiful. I never thought I'd say these about crutches but I can't wait to use them. Can I give you a hug." Megan says as she starts to get up. Happy feels Toby kick her chair under the table. Right, she can't walk Happy realizes and gets up to go to Megan.

"So which one of you got me my gift?" Cabe asks.

"That would be me Sir." Toby says. "I may not be Walter O'Brien but I always have a few aces up my sleeve. The picture is waterproof and should fit your wallet perfectly"

"Toby, this is amazing, you know I lost my picture in the reactor and haven't had a chance to print a new one from the old negatives. I don't know how you did it but thank you so much." Cabe says obviously moved.

"So did the smartest man in the room guess right?" Megan asked, winking at her brother.

"Actually, no." Paige said." I did not get him that gift."

"Well, he was half right, I did." Cabe says.

"This reinforces my obvious lack of EQ." Walter says good nature-dly. "Although, this is seriously a good gift. I actually have something to think about." Nodding in Cabe's direction.

"Was I right?" Paige asks, looking at Megan. Megan nodds.

"I asked Walter the shoe size or everyone of you to throw him off. However, I am sure once he saw your gift he must have known it is from me." Megan answers. "If my brother was wrong, was the behaviorist right?" Megan say as she turns to Toby.

"He was." Walter says. Walter and Toby look at each other across the table in silent understanding. The two of them were friends longer than anyone else in the room and despite their sometimes rivalry, there was great mutual admiration and respect.

"Happy was right too." Sylvester says. "Toby told me not to wrap it like that but I couldn't help myself."

"And to give Sylvester credit, he had the idea to get you that. I just affirmed it was a good idea." Toby inserts.

Happy smiles. "This is great Sylvester."

"That leave me with Paige." Sylvester says quietly, almost as if he was talking to himself and not to the table.

"Yes it does. I hope you like it." Paige asks.

"I love it." Sylvester quickly responds.

"Well now that we are done with us. Ralph's gift is in the other room." Toby says getting up.

"I got a gift?" Ralph asks as he looks as his mother in bewilderment.

Paige shrugs at Ralph and says, "Honey, I had no idea. Say "Thank you."

"Thank you." Ralph says as they lead him to the next room.

And as the snow starts falling from the ceiling, Paige looks at her cyclone and marvels at how they _were_ able to give Ralph everything for Christmas, even snow.

* * *

><p>Happy and Toby were the last two to finish their portion of the clearing up and the only two downstairs after midnight.<p>

"Merry Christmas." Toby says as he puts the broom down and reaches from under his work table."I got something for you." Toby says as he walks up to Happy with a rectangular box.

Happy turns around from putting away the dominoes. "You didn't have to get me anything." Happy states.

"I know. I wanted to" Toby says as he hands up the box.

"Ribbons. Fancy." Happy says as she pulls at the bow. Inside was a lenticular picture of her parents and her in a plain solid black wooden frame. She turned her head slightly to see the images move from the one without her to the one with her. Happy swallows to keep her emotions in check.

"If I had known your dad would be coming. I would have made one for him." Toby says softly.

"This.." Happy starts to say and then reaches into her coat pocket. " I actually made something for you too." She pulls out a long thread like thing. One end had two small magnets and the other a tiny Caribbean hook. She secures the hook on one of his jeans belt loops and takes his brand new hat off his head. She pulls the magnets apart and slots his hat's rim in between them. "I figured you would get a hat. This can be used for anything but...this way you may not lost your hat again." She says as she makes eye contact.

"Happy, this is incredible. I love this. Thank you so much." Toby gushes. He was so surprised she made him something and wanted her to know that he was a touched by the gesture.

"It was nothing really. I had some extra.." Happy starts but Toby shushes her.

"This is ingenious. You do beautiful work." Toby counters.

"So do you." Happy say gesturing towards the picture frame.

"You can give that to your Dad, I can make another for you." Toby suggests.

"I think he'd like that. I'd like that. Thank you." Happy says.

"Happy?" Toby asks.

"Yes." Happy replies.


	16. Chapter 10

**_This picks up from the original story( Chapter 9) Wanted to wait a little longer to write again, was hoping to learn more about them before I wrote anymore. But I think this and the next chapter I am planning will hold up decently to what we will learn about them, or at least I hope they will. _****_Let me know if you agree/disagree._**

Toby looked around at the tiny room he had learnt to call his in their massive garage and couldn't be happier that Happy was lying next to him. It was 830 in the morning and she was still sleeping soundly.

Ten minutes later there was a crash from upstairs and Happy head shot up. "What was that?" she asked sounding more alarmed than she should be.

Toby instinctively knew she was having Bosnia flashbacks and quickly reassured her. "We are in LA, in the garage. That was probably Walter's dropping something. No big deal."

Happy nodded. Her long black hair was still covering her face. Toby wondered if she was doing that deliberately so he could not read her facial expressions. Happy hadn't seemed surprised that she was in his bed. So she must have remembered going to his room and staying there. But did she regret opening up to him, would she have seen going out with him as a moment of insane weakness and start building an even stronger emotional amour than before?

"We... I should get up."She said as she ran her fingers through her hair. She sat up and he saw her face for the first time that morning. There no trace of regret. Her expression was very task oriented as she put her injured foot on the ground and started slowly standing up.

As she was about to reach the door Toby asked," Why did you say yes to last night?"

With one hand on the door knob she turned to his and said, " I was curious." She then silently turned the knob and looked outside to see if there was anyone out there that would see her leaving Toby's room. When she determined it a was safe, she quietly walked out.

Toby sat up in bed and leaned against the wall. He couldn't tell how she felt about last night from their minimal interaction. He hoped she hadn't thought it was a mistake. He knew he still had to work for her. They were still a long way from a full blown emotional, physical and let's spend the rest of our lives together kind of relationship. He really wanted that kind of long-lasting of relationship with her, more so than anyone before. When he had proposed to his ex-financee he had been scared to be alone and thought his luke-warm love for her would grow over time to something that would last forever. But she and fate had other plans. Her eventual rejection of him had destroyed him more than he thought it would. Happy, however was a whole different thing. If he ever proposed to her, it would be because he was scared to live without her. He had always thought Happy was attractive and they always had a fiery chemistry. He and his ex financee never really fought, they might have had a better relationship if they had. Ever since his break up, Toby had been spending more time with Happy and everything he was learning about her, he loved. Even with what little emotional rope she was giving him, they could connect on a level that was unprecedented in his life, and he knew that it must be the same for her. He found Happy's emotional blindspots endearing and wanted to love and take care of her till she felt she had more than made up for the first 27 years of her life.

Happy didn't know how she felt about last night. And she didn't want to talk about it till she knew how she felt. If Toby and her did become romantic, there were implications personally and professionally. She worked out her confusion as she pounded out flat sheets for future projects. Happy worked through the day with only a few breaks. When she was in the zone like that, everyone was scared of her and nobody approached her. She was grateful for that because she wanted and needed to time to think. By the time the sun had set a few hours Happy had come to the conclusion that despite their mostly combustible relationship, Toby and her were productive together, they normally worked together and the outcomes were often favorable. Maybe a deeper relationship wouldn't be a bad thing, just maybe not straight away but slowly. Happy reflected on an after thought, she had become accustomed to spending time with him and she enjoyed it. He had this way of bringing out everything about her. Even though aat times his ability to do exactly that was was infuriating, most of the time it made her happy.

Happy was working intently and Toby gave her a shock when he came up behind her and put his hands around her waist.

"You might want to let go Doc, someone might see you." Happy warned, quickly recovering from her shock. Toby noted she didn't say to let go because she disliked it and grinned with hope as he let go of her and walked round to face her.

"I thought I'd come out and check on you. You've been working/avoiding me all day." Toby knew she had needed space to think but he knew that if he waited too long that he would lose the thinking and feeling sweet spot and she and he would both move to over-thinking, which would be bad.

"I wasn't avoiding you." Happy responded.

"She says as her nose grows bigger." Toby said as he raised his eyebrows slightly.

"I know you want to talk about last night and I didn't want to and hence saw no reason to seek you out specifically." Happy answered back.

"Who says I want to talk about last night?" Toby asked softly.

"Well who's nose is growing now." Happy said as she raised her eyebrows slightly.

"Did it ever occur to you that I may not want to talk about last night because I am terrified about what you think about it and about what you probably regret. You probably would have felt more comfortable about last night if we had actually had sex instead of just sleeping together. I loved last night, from hearing you admonish racist jokes at the comedy club to you falling asleep in my arms. So maybe I don't want to talk about last night. I am a fool who doesn't want to hear about how his version of reality is incorrect." Toby said tenderly. His voice had a strong emotional edge that caught Happy by surprise. She never knew how to react when Toby acted so grown up.

"Happy, I really care about you and you're not some game to me, being with you wouldn't be the endpoint. It would be the start." Toby finished.

"I am not your ex- finacee." Happy said. "It wouldn't be the same."

"I don't want it to be." Toby assured.

"Good." Happy said with a slight nod. And then said after a pause, "Can we take it slow?"

"Of course. We can just keep being friends and hanging out. Nothing worth telling Walter or Sylvester or Paige." Toby answered with a small smile.

"Or Cabe." Happy added.

"Or Cabe" Toby agreed.

"Thanks Toby." Happy said.

"Thanks for what?" Toby asked.

"For...being, I guess." Happy said uncertainly. Toby was giving her the breathing room that she needed and she wanted to let him know that she was grateful.

Toby grinned."How very _Eva Peron_ of you." He said as he started to turn away and leave. He didn't want to overstay his welcome.

From behind some shelves Toby peered into her workshop as she continued to work past 11 at night. He liked watching her work and seeing how capable she was. He wanted to learn more about the stuff she was good at. Toby wanted to show her that he admired her. He wanted to tell her that he believed what she did was important and convince her that she was important enough to him that he was willing to learn a thing or three about what she loved.


	17. Chapter 11

"I got two tickets to see a musical, would you like to come with me?" Toby asked as he sat down at the kitchen table next to Happy.

"You want me to watch a musical with you?" Happy said as she raised her eyebrows. "You really are working your way down from Monster Truck Rally. Why don't you ask Sylvester. He is more into choreographed dancing and regular conversation sung out loud than I am."

Toby chuckled. "What kind of musical do you think I'm asking you to see? And this isn't really part of the _thing_ we are doing" He said as he lowered his voice. "I have been thinking about seeing this for awhile and among our cyclone, I think you will enjoy it the most."

"Really? Which musical is it?" Happy asked.

"I will tell you when we go see it Jan 17." Toby replied.

"Jan 17, 2015?" Happy said surprised. "It's practically a month from now."

"I know with our current work schedule, it's pretty hard to predict when a case will come. But, one cannot live life without making some plans so... I am taking risk that we will both be fit and free for that evening." Toby said.

"Okie...on the assumption we're both free. I don't see how Sylvester won't enjoy it more. Take him." Happy said as she continued to try to get out of it. "You know musicals aren't quite my thing."

"Happy, I'm not taking you to see _Annie_ or _Oliver Twist_." Toby said with mock exasperation. "I think you might actually like this one. Do you trust me?" Toby asked.

What a loaded question Happy thought. Since their date-like thing a month ago after the Bosnia case they had come to an understanding. Toby had listened to her when she said she had needed to take it slow. In front of the others, Toby acted like that night hadn't happened; he flirted with her but kept an emotional distance. But when it was just the two of them, things weren't exactly the same. Their before occasional midnight suppers had become a weekly impromptu but not spontaneous affair. They would get junk food drive thru and talk till dawn on just about everything as they cruised in his _Monte Carlo_. It was wonderful. Their midnight suppers acted as a form of mutual acknowledgement that they liked spending time together and wanted to get to know each other better without any romantic pressure. She liked that. She still wasn't 100% sold on the idea of being in a more intimate relationship with him. He was after all a world class shrink aka manipulator whom she knew first hand was not the most dependable of people. Happy's mind circled on his question, did she trust him.

"Do you trust me?" Toby asked again and broke her train of thought.

Happy looked up at him and thought of how much Toby had changed in the last few months. He had been gambling progressively less and had saved their butts more than once. In light of this, Happy realized that if she couldn't trust the person that occasionally has her life in his hands, well then who could she trust and said ."I think so."

"So that's a Yes." Toby grinned and nodded.

"I guess so. I better not regret this." Happy warned as she narrowed her eyes.

"You won't.' Toby said with her wink as he got up from the table.

"Winking like that is not comforting." Happy called out to him as he turned his back to walk towards his computer.

Toby then turned only his head to face her and said ,'Oh I know. But come on, you would have found it entirely too suspicious if I wasn't a little bit infuriating."

* * *

><p>Toby hadn't lied. He just didn't tell her everything. He didn't tell her that she was the person he wanted to go with because he did like her and wanted her to know more about him. He didn't tell her that she wasn't the only one was afraid to be vulnerable. He didn't tell her that he wanted her to watch it with him to help her see that maybe they had more in common that she thinks.<p>

* * *

><p>"I didn't back out and I'm here. Now do you want to tell me what we're seeing?" Happy asked slightly agitated. Toby already knew that she hadn't wasted her time to search what musicals were playing that weekend and arrive to a conclusion on which one it is. But once they realized they were not going to get a case today, she had been trying to ask him what it is to see if she could go persuade him to take take Sylvester or even Ralph instead.<p>

"I thought you said you trusted me?" Toby said teasingly at her distress.

"I don't _not_ trust you. It's just that I had this other thing I could be doing." Happy said she got into the passenger seat of his car.

"Yeah...hand-making screws is totally a thing you should be doing on Saturday night." Toby said as he started the engine and pulled out into the street." It's called _Next To Normal._"

"What is it about?" Happy asked.

"It's about a family that struggles with the mother's worsening biopolar depression." Toby replied.

"Sounds happy." Happy said.

"Should be a regular merry-go-round." Toby went on. They went on for a few minutes making puns and jokes about how delightful the musical was going to be even as both of them knew it probably wasn't going to be a laugh a minute. Toby kept making wise cracks because he didn't want to show how scared he was of seeing it. It was precisely because people had praised the writing of bipolar depression as realistic that had he not wanted to see it initially. He could remember vividly the episodes his mother had had while he was growing up and how terrifying they had been to an ignorant child. He had tried to learn and help the minute he had understood it was an illness. He had wanted to go with Happy because he knew she strength and rooted- ness would give him courage and remind him that the story was imagination. Happy kept joking because..well Toby was joking and because she remembered their conversation in Bosnia. She remembered that his mother had bipolar disorder and that he made wisecracks to hide how he feels. She was not completely sure what feelings he was trying to hide but she was willing to bet it at had something to do with his mother.

The lack of sappiness in the storyline helped Happy enjoy _Next To Normal. _Happy, for some odd reason, found it relatively rational to sing when you were distressed. During the intermission Toby turned to her and asked,"How do you find it?"

"Definitely not something Sylvester would have enjoyed. I think he might have spent majority of it hiding under the seat." Happy answered. "I like it. It's not romantic or silly. It feels very real."

"Yeah. It does feel real." Toby responded.

After the show as they walked back to the car Happy wanted to ask how realistic it was. She wondered if he had been an invisible boy and in the background to his parent's difficult marriage. She wasn't a fool and knew that Toby bringing her to this was the closest thing he could do to tell her about his childhood without having to actually tell her about it. As they walked out of the theater Toby was uncharacteristically silent and lost in thought.

"Was your mom anything like Diane in the show?" Happy asked breaking the silence as they got into the car to go home. Toby's silence was getting weird.

"Quite a lot actually, except a dead first born child wasn't her trigger." Toby responded, his eyes never leaving the road.

"Did your dad stick with your mom, like in the play?" Happy asked. "You mentioned before your dad had to cope with your mom."

"I would say he was a fair amount like the husband in the play. Maybe not quite as idealistic as the character. He did love my mom a lot, he tried to be a good husband but he did lose his patience sometimes. When bipolar people are in their periods of elevated moods, they are incredible to be with, irresistibly charming. My dad caught my mom on a good day and fell in love with her. There is a stubbornness in my dad. He couldn't let go of the woman he had fallen in love with" Toby answered.

"So you were the Invisible girl, or rather the Invisible boy." Happy stated.

"I suppose." Toby said. He wasn't chatty and it was alarming Happy just a little.

"What's wrong with you?" Happy asked.

"Nothing. I am trying to not to be a wise-ass. You kept your end of the bargain and came with me tonight and I am trying to be less annoying, which is harder than I thought." Toby responded.

"You know Doc, you're so full of crap. I can't believe you let me go on about how terrible my childhood was when yours was pretty darn awful too. The only thing worse than having no parents is probably having parents who were there but really not there at all. Why do you rarely talk about it like it doesn't matter and act like being an overachieving Harvard grad at 17 is the only thing in your life worth talking about before you meant Walter?" Happy asked. Something didn't make sense. Toby was acting like a coward. He seemed to be squashing down memories of his parents when he had practically made her confront her dad on Christmas Eve.

"Maybe because just like you I don't like the pity parade. Besides, there was really nothing much to complain about. I had a roof over my head, three meals a day and a chance to go to school." Toby replied.

"Really? I don't buy it." Happy pushed. Toby wasn't always the best at being brave and he was sometimes a whiner. But, in the last few months, Toby had done some brave, albeit sometimes to show off to Happy, things. Happy thought he could be brave again.

"Yes, having your mother talk about committing suicide when you're not even sure what death is at 3 is scary. Having your dad decide to stay out gambling on the night you're mom is playing with her pill box when you're 6 is frightening. But they are my parents and I love them. I admired how even with all the craziness they could have moments of love. And I will admit, being told often I was wrong by my ever changing mother while growing up made it nice to go to college where I was told I was always right. I was smarter than most people and people listened to me. I enjoyed the change. Maybe a little too much as you can see by the condescending jerk I almost always am" Toby said.

By the time Toby had finished they were almost at the garage. As they were pulling up Happy put her hands over his and said," You dug up my files from social services, practically made me tell my dad I was his daughter all because you knew that deep down I wanted that and that it would be good for me. I still don't know my dad too well but it's been good so far and I have no regrets. If you had told me that tonight was about doing something similar for you, I would have had said yes to this whole evening, no questions. We're friends and friends want to be there for each other."

Toby smiled and said as he parked the car, "How you understood all that without me having to tell you everything is exactly why you are the only person I could have seen that with. With my parents, I guess I have some demons too. Parents will scar you in ways that will never fade, but things are easier when I'm with you. Do you remember how at the end the daughter tells her mom how she doesn't need to be normal, just next to normal?" Toby asked.

"Yes. Of course I remember." Happy said.

"That line reminded me of the day Cabe and Paige came into our lives. We hadn't paid the rent, electricity or water bill and Walt had come back from the job at the diner and he said that even though we're all trying, we are a million miles from normal." Toby said.

"I would say with Paige, Ralph and Cabe, we're getting a little closer to normal. Maybe not next to normal but at least we aren't stealing electricity anymore" Happy reflected.

"I agree, we are a little closer to normal. I don't know if we will ever get to _normal_. But I don't really mind. I am fine with being just _next_ to normal." Toby said.

"Me too.' Happy agreed as they got out of the car and walked shoulder to shoulder back to the garage.

Below is the wiki link to _Next To Normal _for your reference: wiki/Next_to_Normal


	18. Chapter 12

"If you don't mind me asking, is there a reason for your more frequent visits these last few weeks. I love your company but I can't help but feel something's wrong." Patrick said to his daughter as she walked into the shop for the fourth time that week.

Patrick was grateful for Happy companionship and expertise. Ever since she had respectively tweaked and tuned a loyal customer's 1962 Ford Galaxie two weeks ago, it seemed as if every vintage car in the county had come in for a tune up. For the first time in years Patrick had cars in every spot in his garage and he couldn't be prouder that his daughter was able to work alongside him. But Patrick could feel that something was wrong with Happy; she seemed more intense and curt. He wasn't sure what was wrong but he knew something was not right. Patrick didn't want to think that him sensing something was wrong had anything to do with their familial connection, but maybe a parent always did know.

"There really isn't anything wrong. You've had more work so I decided to come help you." Happy said as she put picked up a screwdriver and was getting ready to work on a 1970 Lincoln Continental Mark III that someone had brought in yesterday. What Happy had said had been true. Her dad had been busier the last 2 weeks and she wanted to help him. But, she also had been wanting to get out of the garage more.

"You sure coming more often has nothing to do with the boy that gave you that picture?" Patrick said as he motioned towards the lenticular picture in the black wooden frame Toby had given Happy for Christmas. As she and Toby had discussed, Happy had given her dad the picture she had gotten for Christmas and he made her another. Happy reflex reaction was to say no and deny everything. But before she could say anything she could hear Toby's voice in her head. She could hear Toby asking her what kind of relationship would she want with her dad if she ever did meet him. Would she really want to punish him and push him away just because she was mad he had done that to her? Then Happy's mind spun to a different conversation Toby and her had had where Toby had been telling her about some of the patients he had treated and how one of them's inability to let go had ended disastrously. Happy shook her head as if trying to get out of a trance. Since when had Toby gotten into her head and under her skin. She had known him for years and he hadn't had that effect on her. She felt like herself and not herself at the same time, being closer to Toby was changing her and she wasn't sure she was liking it.

Not being privy to Happy's internal monologue, Patrick took being ignored as a sign that maybe he had overstep his boundaries. Happy and him weren't a typical father and daughter and Patrick was still figuring out how to be a father to a to a girl that was really a fully grown woman. "Happy, I am sorry if I stepped over a line, I didn't mean to pry about your personal life" Patrick started to apologize.

"No need to apologize." Happy assured as she turned from looking at the engine. "I was just lost in thought." Happy continued.

"That's good. I know I am your dad and I wasn't there for you growing up. I am not even sure if you need a dad anymore. But, I would like you to know that I am here for you now if you want me to be. And, maybe not even as a Dad, just an older person in your life, like that Homeland Guy you work with. I won't turn you away, not again." Patrick said. He wanted to assure his daughter that their relationship was something she could control and be in if she wanted to be.

"Thanks...Dad" Happy said slowly. "Please don't apologize, I am probably just as bad at this father- daughter thing. We just both need more time and practice with each other". Happy said matter of factly.

"You are right, we will get better with practice." Patrick said as he started to turn back to the Toyota Camry he was working on.

Happy was tempted to turn back to work too, but she reminded herself of how when she was little she had always wanted a father to talk to about stuff. So Happy took a deep breath and said, "The answer is Yes."

Patrick looked up at his daughter and asked gently. "Want to talk about it?".

"Not really, but maybe that's why we should." Happy said trying not remember when Toby had said that exact thing to her when she had suggested they go trekking during one of their midnight outings.

"Ok. So what's bothering you?" Patrick began. He was grateful that Happy seemed as awkward at this endeavor as he was. Her mom had always better at the social things; it was one of the reasons why he had loved her so much.

"I am mad at Toby because... I should explain a little more. We went on one date two months ago. We haven't been really dating but spending more time together ever since." Happy said as Patrick mentally noted they were secretly dating. "We just get midnight suppers and talk." Happy was about to say that it wasn't important but stopped herself when she realized that the fact that they were talking about it meant it was important. Patrick bit his lips to prevent grinning at his daughter's distress. Patrick was relieved that it was a matter of the heart, with her brain, if it had been something else, he would have been useless. The heart he knew, after all, hadn't be loved a woman for over 30 years.

"So the two of you have been spending more time together. That had been going on for awhile, what changed in the last two weeks?" Patrick asked.

"He made me feel jealous of CIA tech specialist. It was possible he was baiting me and was saying all those things to make me mad on purpose. She might not have meant anything to him but, what if she did. I didn't want to feel anything, shouldn't have felt anything but I did." Happy answered

"And jealous is bad because..?" Patrick asked, continuing to play dumb.

"It means I care. And I don't want to care, especially if he doesn't care more." Happy replied as if stating the obvious.

"And so you been here with me the last two weeks to avoid spending time with him. Cutting it off before he gets a chance to reject you, if he does at all." Patrick said.

"Yup, sounds about right. Are you going to turn me away now, tell me I'm some messed up girl who has problems." Happy asked angrily, her father blatantly pointing out how damaged she was made her feel uncomfortable.

"No, of course not. I told you I am not turning you away again and I am not going to. If you wanted to run away from anywhere, I am honored that you ran to me." Patrick said as he thought of how he had wronged his little girl. How did she not know that a boy wouldn't make you a picture for Christmas if he didn't like you a lot.

"Although, let me understand what you are running away from. Is this Toby a bad person? What is he like?" Patrick asked.

"No, he's not a bad person. He's actually a pretty good one, especially when he gets all doctor on you and you remember that he took the Hippocratic Oath. He knows a lot about a lot of things and can be a jerk about it. He has a bit of a gambling problem and terrible luck. He says inappropriate things sometimes. He's funny. What's your point?." Happy replied looking at her father.

"I am trying to find out if you preemptively rejecting him was justified." Patrick said. "Does he have commitment issues?" Patrick asked.

"No. For most of the time I've known him he's been in some form of long term relationship. He had a finacee 6 months ago until she broke up with him." Happy responded.

"So, no commitment issues. I guess the gambling is a legitimate concern. You don't want to deal with that. Maybe blowing him off is a good thing. I don't want my daughter dating a gambling addict. Lord knows we both know the problems of a bad addiction." Patrick said as he got up to get ready to start working again.

"His gambling hasn't been that bad recently." Happy said before she had a chance to think it through.

"Happy, why are you defending him?" Patrick asked with a hint of a smile.

"Because I.." It was too late now for Happy to retreat back behind her curtain of pretense. "I do really like him. He's not perfect but it somehow doesn't matter. I have the best time with him and we don't even have to be doing anything. You were right, I have been avoiding him because I like him and was becoming afraid." Happy said as she looked her father squarely in the face.

"Are you afraid he doesn't care for you?" Patrick asked.

"A little bit. I'm afraid of everything. I haven't had anyone close for so long because I've been afraid to be hurt again, after the second foster home I had enough of trying. Until 6 months ago I would have told you I was close to Sylvester and Walter when in reality we are not close at all. I kept everybody at a distance. A good relationship to me was when we mutually wanted the distance. And it's not even just about them leaving you by choice, what if they leave you anyway. Look at what mom dying did to you." Happy said.

"Happy, don't be afraid you will turn into me. You have already proven to be a far stronger person that I ever was, so much more like your mother." Patrick said as he smoothed some of her hair that had gone astray. "Not to mention, with all the support you have, what happened to me when I lost your mom wouldn't happen to you. Your mother and I didn't have the best circumstances. I didn't have family and her's never approved of me. When your mother passed away I was all alone. Losing her would have been hard even if I had support and help to take care of you. But without support it was damn near impossible. I still love her. I still miss her. Everyday. And if you think for a moment I would trade all the years of sorrow and loneliness for never having met her and loved her, you are wrong. Those years we had together were wonderful. We called you Happy because we wanted our child reflect what we were together, happy." Patrick said.

"I don't understand how it can be worth it if the person can cause you so much pain" Happy said.

"Because that person can also bring you so much joy. Funny how we talk about Toby's gambling problem when everything in life is a gamble. Your mother had every reason to never agree to go out with me; her family thought I was some no-good-penniless-white boy who would only lead their daughter astray. But she defied them and said yes to me because she saw something in what we were together, she saw how happy we could make each other. Life is all about the possibility of failure. Just look around you, we have an entire business built on machines failing. Just because there is a possibility a car won't turn on when you start the ignition doesn't mean you never buy a car. Happy, I am not saying to trust every person and to wear your heart on your sleeve, but in a relationship when both of you are willing to try, it will usually succeed. And if a person leaves you anyway, I know you will be strong enough to maybe love again." Patrick finished.

"Do you really think so? I have spent so long not wanting to know if I was strong enough to let someone close that I forgot to think if was. What if I can't anymore." Happy asked.

"You see that 1965 Dodge Coronet over there, the owner said he hasn't been able to use it in 25 years and you got it to run yesterday. Happy, if you can fix a machine that hasn't run in 25 years, what makes you think you can't do the same for yourself?" Patrick said smiling at his daughter.

"I supposed so. I'm still scared." Happy said softly.

"I know. If it helps, he cares about you a lot. He wouldn't have made you that Christmas present if he didn't. Not to mention, he can't keep his eyes of you." Patrick continued, trying to reassure Happy.

"You really think so?" Happy asked, heart filled with disbelief and hope.

"I know so. Maybe you should go tell him how you feel?" Patrick suggested.

"Maybe. Why don't I help you get this Lincoln Continental Mark III out of your way first." Happy said. Happy had just had her first real conversation with her dad. She felt relieved, exhilarated and maybe a little happy. And, she knew the only person she wanted to share the moment with, was a certain Doctor with a hat.


	19. Chapter 13

"Toby, are you sure you should be playing Happy's Octane? I didn't even know you knew how." Sylvester asked as he caught Toby practicing a little ditty. Toby had been practicing a little thing for Happy. He wasn't sure exactly when he was going to play it for her. Valentine's day seemed to cliche an occasion, so maybe another time after that.

"I didn't. I'm teaching myself how to. And, she's not here Sly. What she doesn't know won't make her mad right?" Toby said to Sylvester with both eyebrows raised. He was trying to get Sylvester in cahoots with him.

"Sure". Sylvester replied back uncertainly. He hated keeping secrets.

"Don't worry. She's not you. I am pretty sure she doesn't dust this for fingerprints every time she comes back to the garage." Toby said lightly as he tried to diffuse Sylvester's concerns.

"She doesn't but she should. She never cleans that thing. It's so dusty. Anyway, where is Happy?" Sylvester asked changing the topic.

"Happy's at her dad's shop. Helping him out. Apparently since she tuned up a Ford Galaxie two weeks ago, cars have been flying in." Toby answered.

"Oh..that's the reason. That's good. I thought maybe it was the other thing." Sylvester said.

"What other thing?" Toby asked leaning towards Sylvester, clearly very intrigued.

"Oh..I thought.." Sylvester started nervously. "I thought the two of you had a fight that made her mad so she's spending as little time here as possible." Sylvester said quickly.

Toby too had noticed that Happy seemed to be avoiding him a little. He wasn't sure what had changed but knew that them fighting wasn't it. They had barely spoke the last week or so. Toby postulated her spending less time in the garage was really because she wanted to get to know her dad better and not because she was avoiding him. Although, if she was trying to avoid him, her dad was the perfect excuse. She knew he would never not support her getting to know her dad better. But, perhaps like most things in life, it was a little bit of both; an alignment of agendas.

More than his own thoughts, Toby was curious about Sylvester's thoughts on the situation and asked "Why would you think us fighting would matter that much to her?"

"Well...because...don't make me say it." Sylvester said very embarrassed.

"Don't make you say what?" Toby asked even as he knew that only some sort of sex/adult related issue could cause Sylvester this kind of embarrassment. "Sylvester, I may be a brilliant behaviorist but as I told Paige, I can't build without bricks." Toby said.

Sylvester swallowed and practically whispered,"Aren't the two of you having secret midnight trysts?"

"What!? What makes you think we're having secret sex?" Toby asked incredulously.

"A month ago when I was going to the bathroom at about five in the morning, I saw both of you come in. And I have seen you guys do that 4 times more subsequently. Neither of you talk about it which implies some sort of secretiveness and shame. You have mentioned to me on multiple occasions how you find her attractive. If you run the potentialities given the evidence, the two of you having a secret intimate relations was the most likely outcome." Sylvester said.

"I hate to burst your statistic bubble Sly, but Happy and I aren't having sex, secret or otherwise." Toby said as Sylvester breathed a sigh of relief. "But don't get me wrong, I do want there to be sex eventually." Toby continued as Sylvester's face scrunched up in disgust. "What you said would work if we were more normal people." Toby finished.

"Well, now I can't tell if I should be relieved or not." Sylvester said in response to Toby."Kissing is so unhygienic, the thought of anyone doing that and more makes me shiver. Having said that, thinking that you guys were doing it outside the garage on some level was reassuring because it meant you weren't doing it in the garage on either side of my bedroom. Knowing it hasn't happened is a little comforting. But, now the uncertainty of when it might actually happen is unsettling." Sylvester said with a furrowed brow.

"Sylvester, how old are you?" Toby asked slightly rhetorically.

"22. You know, a guy with an IQ over 170 would remember how old I am. I have told you 3 times" Sylvester answered slightly frustrated.

"Sylvester, I know how old you are. I asked to make a point. Sly, you're 22, a whole year past being a full adult. You shouldn't be talking about sex like it's a petrie dish full of smallpox." Toby said.

"Toby, saliva can transfer up to eighty million types of bacteria. Not to mention, have you seen STD videos. It's not pretty. Having sex means touching a person in places that can't be sanitized. It's not safe." Sylvester insisted.

"Sly, nothing is _that_ safe. You know better than to think anything is 100%. Not being 100% sure doesn't mean you don't live a little." Toby paused. He wasn't sure how far he should take this little talk. But then, Toby reasoned with himself, someone had to make Sylvester man up.

"Sylvester, most of the point of living is to figure out the stuff you are not 100% sure about, that's kinda what kissing is for. It's a test to see if two people are genetically compatibility. Which means, sometimes, kisses are just gross because two people just don't have chemistry. But, _sometimes_ kisses are not gross at all. Sly, when someone with the right cocktail of complementary pheromones comes close to you and presses her lips against all 10,000 of your libia oris nerve endings, you are not going to have time to breath let alone think. Your heart races. Your pupils dilate, causing you to involuntarily close your eyes as you let go and trust your other senses to take it all in." Toby said in hushed tones that drew Sylvester in.

"All that gross- sexy stuff you are afraid of are the exact razor sharp survival instincts we as a species have honed over years of evolution so that we can be 100% sure we will have offspring that survive. All necessary parts of life. And, the fact that it's really fun doesn't hurt" Toby said with a wicked wink. Toby knew that appealing to pure libido wouldn't work on Sylvester. Toby hoped a little logic sprinkled with emotion would convince Sylvester to have confidence to do things outside his safe zone.

"Having said that, sex is not the only barometer for adulthood. There is also drinking, watching x-rated movies, voting, paying bills and the ability to sign your own consent form when you go sky diving." Toby says as he counts of with his left hand."I'm not suggesting you go crazy and do everything I just said but, certainly think about doing things you haven't done before because now you can do everything. Go to Comic Con and participate in the after-parties. Or, start with something classic, learn how to drive." Toby offered.

Sylvester chuckled at Toby's suggestion.

"What? Toby asked. "The mean lady at the Crimson parking lot was funny?"

"No, you suggesting it reminded me of something Ralph and I were talking about a last Wednesday."Sylvester said.

"Oh, what was that?" Toby inquired.

"We were talking about going to the Super Fun Guy Comic Con in April together. But since I can't drive, Paige will have to take us which would mean going would be dependent on her approval _and_ her being free to drive us. Ralph then suggested I get Happy and you to teach me how to drive to eliminate one of the two uncertainties. He said that your combined knowledge would be the most complete learning. Happy could teach me all the right driving technique and how to fix the car if it breaks down on the way. And you can teach me all about reading other driver's behavior and psychology to avoid accidents and fights. In short, the perfect complementary combination." Sylvester said.

Toby smiled and thought it was simply splendid how everyone but Happy had figured out they could be perfect together. "What did you say to Ralph's suggestion?" Toby asked.

"I said that even if I started learning now, I wouldn't be ready to drive in April. There are government rules, regulations, test and" Sylvester started to respond.

"The fact you're basically scared witless to drive."Toby said as he finished for Sylvester.

"Not scared witless, just scared. I don't want to hurt anybody." Sylvester.

"Yes, so you should learn to drive a airplane. Less accidents happen in the sky, ask Superman."Toby quipped.

"Toby, stop, you're hurting him." Happy said as she walked into the garage from her dad's shop and caught the tail end of their conversation. She walked straight past them and to her workshop, completely missing Toby sitting at her Octane.

"Told you she wouldn't have noticed." Toby said as he angled his head towards the Octane. But Sylvester had his head down, was clearly upset, and didn't notice. "I'm sorry Sylvester. I pushed too hard." Toby paused to see if Sylvester accepted his apology. When he didn't get a response he continued. "When we met, you were 16 and still a kid. The sweetest kid I ever met. That was 6 years ago and you haven't really changed. You are still the same sweet scared kid who out of distress rather than anger ran away from home. I know with Walter and me being the way we are, we're not exactly role models or people that, 6 years ago, would have been able to help you grow up. When my ex left me 6 months ago, it kinda woke me up. I'm trying to change; act my age and maybe you should too. We're growing up and a growing older buddy, we got to think about who we want to be, where we want to be and who we want to be with" Toby said as he wistfully looked in Happy's direction.

"I know you were trying to be helpful. Maybe I was being overly sensitive. Did Megan tell you I tried to run away at the beach on Christmas Eve?"Sylvester asked Toby.

"No" Toby said shaking his head.

"I was overwhelmed and felt horrible for miscalculating the time the boy had left before he was going to be submerged under water so I tried to run away. I was waiting at the bus stop when Megan found me and told me I was being foolish and selfish. Not exactly what you just said but along the same lines. Sometimes it's just really hard to do things even when you know you're supposed to. And I don't want to disappoint so I stick to what I'm good at." Sylvester said.

With one eye on Happy and one eye on Sylvester, Toby grinned and said,"And Sylvester, you're great at what you do. We missed you so much while you were in the hospital during the Ghost case. Just like everything else, you have to keep practicing. You weren't born doing everything you do, part of your current ability comes from practicing difficult problems that you didn't face in the womb. What's most important is allowing yourself to try and not give up." Toby said as he stole a glance at Happy as he thought about the things he didn't want to give up on.

Sylvester wasn't terribly astute but still saw that little peek and remembered the whole reason for their conversation and asked,"So if you and Happy aren't having secret midnight tryst, what do you do when you go out in the middle of the night?"

"We just get supper and talk for the most part. Once she made me go trekking which was terribly exhausting." Toby said as he thought about how they had stopped at a little spot midway through. Happy had slipped a little when sitting down and had sat uncharacteristically close to him. She hadn't moved to change her position and he had practically put his arms around her when he leaned back to put his palm on the ground behind her. He smiled to himself as he pulled back into the conversation. "We have a pretty amazing time doing just that. Talking to a girl without having sex is underrated thing more men should do often, you should try it sometime." Toby said with half a smile.

"Does that mean you guys are dating?" Sylvester asked to clarify.

"No. Not dating, at least not anymore than Walter and Paige." Toby muttered under his breath.

"Walter and Paige are dating?" Sylvester asked in alarm.

"No, no, no. They are not, which is my point. " Toby said. He then thought instead of saying out loud: At least unlike Walter and Paige, unsaid sexual tension wasn't eating him and Happy up. It was their unsaid emotional tension that was driving him nuts.

"Oh good." Sylvester said, relieved to have things sorted out. "As much as the last few months have been great, it's like our lives have suddenly become so much more complicated."

Toby fought down a chortle as he said," Sylvester, that's growing up for you."


End file.
